Travel

Marcel Proust once wrote, "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." It's true, there are many ways in which we can see our day-to-day lives through new lenses. Sometimes, though, a change of scenery is just what the doctor (or health coach) ordered.

Traveling is a wonderful can opener for gaining new insight and inspiration -- especially when venturing to new terrain. The human brain LOVES variety and novelty, and getting outside your comfort zone has a way of expanding the mind and imagination. Travel opens back up the aperture of curiosity and possibility. It enlivens the senses and reawakens dormant desires and dreams while connecting us with the larger fabric of the world in which we are threaded. It can also help dislodge us, momentarily, from habitual patterns of thought and behavior.

I have a friend who is a travel writer. Her job is to explore new and undiscovered places, and she infuses this sense of adventure into everything she does. Sipping a cocktail, talking with restaurant or hotel staff, taking her time to savor every detail of dinner -- everything is an opportunity for discovery and awakening.

As Monsieur Proust points out, travel doesn't always require a plane ticket. Some of the best adventures can come when trying a new restaurant. Taking a back road that you've never driven. Getting lost in the soundscape at a concert. Resist the temptation to book your family's trip to the usual destination. Make a recipe from a culture unlike your own. Visit a new exhibition at the museum. Surround yourself with fellow adventurers who also cultivate a deep appreciation for detail, quality and the specialness of life. And maybe, if you can, get on a plane to some place you have never been. Come to see yourself and the world with fresh eyes and see where it takes you.